Tron: Ares has stunning visuals and a pulsing, rocking Nine Inch Nails soundtrack that keeps the film moving. It’s light on character development, but I was too busy devouring my popcorn through all the IMAX action scenes to care. I was mesmerized and loved every bit of fan service they shoveled my way. Jared Leto’s robotic performance was perfect, even if unintentional. I also want every villain to be played by Evan Peters from now on. See this film on the biggest IMAX screen you can find.

This long-awaited sequel doesn’t reinvent the wheel, or the light cycle, but it sure knows how to make it glow. Director Joachim Rønning leans hard into the sleek, cyberpunk aesthetic that made Tron: Legacy a visual cult hit, and somehow manages to crank it up even further. The world of the Grid has never looked this alive, this tactile, or this electric. Every frame feels engineered for spectacle, and it pays off beautifully.

The story itself? Well, it’s Tron. Expect existential musings about AI, the blurred line between humanity and machine, and a few plot threads that never quite connect—but it’s all in service of the ride. What Ares lacks in emotional depth, it makes up for with pure sensory overload. The light battles and digital landscapes are jaw-dropping, and the film’s relentless momentum leaves barely enough time to breathe before the next visual explosion.

Jared Leto, in one of his most restrained performances in years, fits the role like he was designed for it: cold, curious, and a little alien. He’s less a man and more a program running on charisma and glitchy self-awareness. Meanwhile, Evan Peters steals every scene he’s in, giving his villain a twitchy unpredictability that’s both fun and menacing. His energy injects just the right amount of chaos into the otherwise smooth, neon-slick world.

And then there’s the soundtrack. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross pick up the Daft Punk baton and run with it, layering industrial tension over throbbing digital beats. It’s not the same soundscape as Legacy. It’s darker, heavier, and it fits the evolution of this series perfectly.

In short: Tron: Ares is a sensory fireworks show. It’s the kind of movie that reminds you why IMAX exists. Don’t expect to cry, expect to feel the bass, the light, and the velocity.